This disclosure generally relates to cooling systems, and more particularly to cooling systems for electromechanical rotary machines.
Electromechanical rotary machines, such as electric motors or generators, generate a significant amount of heat during operation. Electric motor coils conduct electrical current to cause rotation of a rotor relative to a housing. The coils have resistive losses which generate heat within the coils and particularly within end winding coils. When operating an electric motor under heavy loads in high ambient temperatures, an inner portion of the end winding coils can reach or exceed an acceptable operating temperature, causing failure or decreasing the operating life of the electric motor.
A variety of techniques have been applied to cooling an electric motor and in particular stator end winding coils. Typical cooling designs direct cooling fluid at the circumference of the end winding coils or through a rotor gap. However, neither of these approaches addresses cooling the inner portion of the end winding coils.